Teague and Keys
by Stutley Constable
Summary: What really matters to a man that finds it hard to live with himself?


**Legal Note:** I do not own any of the characters associated with Pirates of the Caribbean. I do not have any legal right to use them or any other proprietary words originating from these movies. This story was done just for the fun of it. Not for profit. If you like it please tell me. If you don't like it please tell me why with particulars but not excessive detail.

**Author's Note:** This story was originally written as part of the Pairings Challenge series I did with Pirate-on-Fleet-Street last year. I have cleaned it up a bit and now post it independently from that series. The Pairings Challenge stories are still available to read on my profile and that of Pirate-on-Fleet-Street. If you like this one you may wish to give those a once over. As always, reviews are welcome.

**Summary: **What really matters to a man that finds it hard to live with himself?

**Teague and Keys**

The guitar was a little out of tune so Teague was tightening the offending string. He strummed the chord again. Yes, that was better. The meeting was going nowhere and he couldn't really be bothered to pay attention to what the three Lords were arguing about. Mistress Ching wanted to send some of her personal agents through Sri Sumbhajee's domain and Gentleman Jocard was supposed to be mediating but it seemed he was taking Ching's side most of the time. She had probably paid him or traded something. As long as it didn't involve the code Teague didn't care. They could kill each other and it wouldn't matter. They would be replaced by equally fractious captains. He took a sip of rum and began to softly play a new tune.

Without warning Ching loudly spat a curse at Sri Sumbhajee and lurched to her feet. There was a howl of pain and surprise as her chair tumbled over and she joined it on the floor. Claws scrabbled and yelps of fright rang out. Ching was swearing and cursing and flailing her arms trying to swat Keys the jail house dog that had taken up residence with Teague. The poor animal was just trying to get out of the way now and had no intention of staying where Ching could get her hooks into him. Fuming and red in the face even through her pancake makeup Ching rose to her feet between two of her retainers snatching a pistol from one's belt on the way. She aimed the weapon at Keys as he scrambled across the floor with his tail between his legs. Ching drew the goosehead back and was about to fire when she realized that Teague was on his feet glowering at her. Everything went dead quiet.

"Apologize," Teague growled softly.

Ching's hand wavered and then slowly lowered the pistol. "I'm Sorry for disturbing you, Captain Teague. Please accept my most humble apologies."

Teague slowly shook his head. His eyes never left the old woman. "Apologize to Keys."

Mistress Ching was, in truth, intimidated by Teague but she was a proud woman of an ancient line. Ching was not prepared to apologize to a dog for anything. She could see the other two Pirate Lords back up a few steps followed by their retainers. Her own retainers looked pale but they would not lose face by backing down unless they were ordered to do so. Ching drew herself up to her full yet unimpressive height.

"I will not apologize to a dog," Ching said in as haughty a tone as she could muster. Where Teague's pistol had come from and how it had appeared in his hand would be one of those mysteries men would speak of for months if not years. All that was certain was that it was suddenly and threateningly in his hand and casually pointing at Ching. One of her retainers stepped in front of her meaning to shield his mistress from harm. Teague obliged him without so much as batting an eye. As the man fell and the smoke cleared Teague's left hand came up with another pistol. This one was slightly more ornate. Certainly it was fit for putting a hole through someone of a noble line.

"Apologize to Keys," Teague said as softly as before.

"It is a dog," Ching told him in a reasonable and slightly shaky voice. "I am a Pirate Lord. I am Mistress Ching. I will not lower myself to apologize to a flea bitten animal."

Ching's second retainer fell with a ball in his brain and as she looked back up to Captain Teague he had raised yet another pistol. Ching looked to her fellow Lords but they were finding the ceiling and the table to be vastly more interesting subjects for their attention. Ching looked back to Teague. His merciless eyes and grim expression spoke volumes of how little he would regret putting a ball in her brain.

"Perhaps I was hasty," Ching stammered. "I should not have shouted so. I was startled. I was angry already."

Teague's expression did not change. Why did his eyes look so much like those of a shark right before it bites? Ching shivered involuntarily.

"Keys," she began. "I apologize."

The dog thumped his tail against Teague's boot apparently satisfied and willing to forgive. Teague lowered his weapon and strode from the room with Keys at his heals. They went to the Keeper of the Code's quarters and with the door shut the old pirate took up a mandolin and gave it a strum. Keys lay down at his feet resting his big head on the toe of Teague's boot.

"You're a good dog, Keys," Teague said patting his only real friend. The Code was all but it was no comfort in the night when memories of days gone by came creeping. The Code was cold and uncaring when nightmares swam from the depths to drag you under and you woke sweating and shivering. But Keys was there. Keys didn't care how many men had died at your hands or how many had tried to kill you. Keys didn't care whose eyes you saw just before waking or what cries haunted your dreams. He only cared that there was a warm place by the fire and food in his dish. Teague cared for no man nor any woman. But Keys was loyal beyond any of them and Teague cared for him. "Good dog. Just try not getting under foot again. I was running out of pistols."


End file.
